Black-Headed Ibis

The black-headed ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus), also known as the Oriental white ibis, Indian white ibis, and black-necked ibis, is a species of wading bird of the ibis family Threskiornithidae which breeds in the South- and Southeast Asia from India to the west and as far east as Japan.[2] It is the only native ibis species in its range that has an overall white plumage with a black neck and head. The down-curved beak and legs are also black. Though often referred to as a wetland species, the black-headed ibis forages in a range of natural and man-made habitats. This species of ibis nests only during the rainy season

Scientific Name : Threskiornis Melanocephalus

Family : Threskiornithidae

Order : Pelecaniformes

Class : Aves

Type : Ibises And Spoonbills

Conservation Status : Near threatened (NT)

Size : 65 – 76 cm

Compare Size : Kite +

Wingspan : 130 cm

Weight : 1100 - 1400 g

Migratory : Resident Migrant

Sex Alike : Yes

Nesting Season : June - July

Other Names :

English : Oriental White Ibis, Indian White Ibis, Black-Necked Ibis

Hindi : सफेद बाझ, मुंडा, मुंडुख

Marathi : कंकर, काळ्या डोक्याचा शेराती

Habitat:
These include freshwater and salt-water marshes, lakes and ponds, as also rice fields, freshly ploughed crop fields, irrigation canals, riversides, reservoirs, urban lakes, open sewage gutters, grazing lots, and garbage dumping sites

Breeding:
Eggs 2 to 4, Bluish or greenish white, Sometimes with delicate spots of yellowish brown.

Feeding:
Mostly feed on fish, frogs and other water creatures, as well as on insects


Identification Features

Male & Female
Head black
Neck black
Bill black; down-curved
Tail light grey ornamental feathers that turn jet black during the breeding plumage
Wing white; during the breeding season, bare patches under the wing turn blood-red
Upperparts white
Underparts white
Juvenile
Note :
similar to adults but have greyish feathering on the neck

Gallery

SIGHTINGS

Date Location
2018-11-14 14 Nov 2018 Bird Watching Area, Bhandup West, Mumbai, Maharashtra
2018-12-16 16 Dec 2018 Bird Watching Area, Bhandup West, Mumbai, Maharashtra
2019-01-12 12 Jan 2019 Bird Watching Area, Bhandup West, Mumbai, Maharashtra
2019-03-02 02 Mar 2019 Bird Watching Area, Bhandup West, Mumbai, Maharashtra
2019-01-31 31 Jan 2019 Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajasthan

Similar Birds

(Ibises And Spoonbills)